The present invention relates to a reinforced container designed for use in packing and shipping large objects such as riding lawn mowers, air conditioners, washing machines, water heaters or the like. More particularly, the present invention relates to a container which includes an inner framework and a covering for the framework. The framework includes top and bottom latticeworks and post members extending between the latticeworks. The post members are not fixedly connected to the latticeworks. The covering, however, holds the framework in assembled condition.
Known containers for use in shipping large and heavy objects generally include a paperboard casing with an inner wooden framework. The wooden framework, typically, is assembled inside the casing using nails, screws or the like during the packing process. This assembling process is laborious and time consuming; besides, containers of this type are difficult to open. However, wooden frameworks are still popular since they ensure mechanical strength sufficient to protect the contents. Assembling sturdy containers is especially important when containers encase heavy objects and particularly when containers are stacked to considerable height during storage or transportation.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,162,351 to Rudofski discloses a shipping container including integral corner posts for providing stacking strength. This container is designed for use as an outer cover for a liquid filled plastic bag, and thus is not appropriate for packing a large and heavy object which requires good rigidity also in the top and bottom wall areas. The container of this patent merely has layers of corrugated paperboard as the top and bottom walls which are not strong enough to bear an applied compressive load when containers of this type are stacked.
Forming or attaching bulky reinforcement on the internal face of a casing is impractical because it would make the casing difficult to fold in collapsed fashion to perform economical "knock down" shipment prior to use. Collapsible integral reinforcement such as the integral corner posts in the above-mentioned patent can be available only at certain positions in a container.
What is needed, therefore, is a container for use in shipping large objects. Such a container should be sturdy and easy to assemble and also should permit "knock down" shipment.